We caught up with Amy Webb, one of our Coaches, to find out more about her role as Manager of a girls football team:
Why did you become a football coach?
My daughter started playing for one of the Huntingdon Girls teams but they were moving up to U11s and she was too young to move with them. Myself and another parent decided to volunteer as coaches to enable our girls to continue their love of football in a new HGFC U10s team.
What training did you undertake?
I had no previous experience in coaching sports, but have had a career in childcare for the past 20 years, so working with the girls felt natural to me.
Before starting the season HGFC paid for me to take several FA courses. These included Playmaker (a free online course), Introduction to coaching football, Introduction to first aid in football and Safeguarding children. They were very informative and helped to give me the knowledge and confidence for this new adventure.
The work involved in the manager side of things was a bit daunting, but the club has a great team of managers and coaches who are always willing to give advice and support. I'm also lucky to work alongside two fantastic U10s coaches and we support each other.
What qualities do you think make a good coach?
Being a good role model is important. Displaying positive, enthusiastic, and respectful behaviour encourages the girls to behave in the same way. You need to be able to plan creative and engaging training sessions to achieve individual development needs, as well as listen to the girls and be willing to adapt a session to suit the moment. Most of all we aim to provide a fun experience where they can learn new skills, build friendships and be part of a team.
What do you enjoy about being a manager?
Becoming a manager and coach involves a lot of work and dedication but the experience of getting to know the girls, both individually and as a team, working with them and seeing their confidence grow and developing in football makes it all worthwhile.
On top of that I get to be involved in doing something with my daughter that she really loves. I feel very proud to be part of HGFC and I love every minute of it. Even the cold, wet and windy ones!
If you are interested in volunteering to support HGFC, please contact us. You can find out more about BT Playmaker, a free online entry-level football course perfect for anyone interested in taking a more active role in grassroots football on the FA website.
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